Spiders

Platybunus triangularis Sometimes called spring harvestyman as it emerges early. Common on low vagiataion

Phalangium opilio Reported a sthe most common harvestman in the world. Likes lots of habitats. Vert common.

Leiobunum rotundum Male has a globular shape and is red-brown with a black ocularium width 50cm/ Likes water and late summer common

Paroligolophus agrestis It has a grey/brown body with a median line of pale dots, bordered by a pair of darker lines or dots. It has medium length legs which are characteristically thicker in the 40% or so nearest the body. Likes trees found on willow

Leiobunum blackwalli Widespread and fairly common in most of England and Wales

Mitopus morio Length: 4-8.5 mm. The female of the species of harvestman is larger than the male and has a dark brown saddle on a pale background; in the male the saddle is blacker. Low plants common.

Nemastoma bimaculatum This is a small but distinctive harvestman. The white spots behind the head, pale stripe on the abdomen and relatively short legs make it easy to identify.

Dicranopalpus ramosus large harvestman spread from Morroco (!) landed in UK Bournmouth 1957 now as far north as Scotland. Common and large with legs. ID via pedipalps that are forked and body seen Aug to November. Not recorded in GMC before NBN.

Argyroneta aquatica, water spider constructs a web under water and fills it with air. She catches air from the surface and releases the air bubble from her body with her legs. This is repeated until there is enough air in her 'diving bell'. Diffusion and oxygen bubbles released by the water plants also add air in the bubble. Prey is caught under water, killed by a poisonous bite and consumed in the air bubble in her web. The spider is a good hunter under water and swims quickly between the water plants. Late in autumn her nest is sealed and the spider stays there during wintertime. Likes fresh still water can be up to 20mm and bites. In Canal

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Nursery Web Spider - Pisaura mirabilis They vary in colour from grey to dark brown. The abdomen is slender and is divided by a pale line. It likes to sunbathe. During mating the male presents the female with a carefully wrapped insect as a present. The female carries her eggs in a ball shaped, pea-sized sack with her. Whenthey hatch she builds a silk tent forthem. Feeds on flies and is common.

Garden Spider - Araneus diadematus Its large size (13 mm) and cruciform white markings make it easy to identify, although the abdomen colour can vary . Common. Peaks in autum. Males can gety eaten during mating

Four-spotted Orb Weaver - Araneus quadratus Females can reach 17 mm in length, males approximately half that. The abdomen colour is quite variable. Common peaks autum and builds its web close to the ground to catch jumping insects such as small grasshoppers. Adult females can actively change their color to srroundings.

Walnut Orb Weaver - Nuctenea umbratica Females can grow to 15 mm, males grow to 11 mm. They have a distinctive flattened body, which enable the species to hide in crevices. The walnut colouration of the abdomen gives the species its common name.It hides during the day often or under bark, close to its web.

Cucumber Green Orb Spider - Araniella cucurbitina They spin a small web between leaves and don't hide away but rely on colour for camouflage. Predatory mainly on flying insects caught in its orb web. A. cucurbitina and A. opistographay are hard to tell apart. The latter is less common. This is a male.

Larinioides cornutus A variable species with a dark, distinct V-shape on the abdomen . The web is built between grasses, or in low shrubbery. They hide during the day in a silken retreat that opens at the bottom, masked with plant and animal matter Common and found near water

Larinioides sclopetarius Usually found near water, often on man-made metal structures; rarely on vegetation late summer. Local but common.

Zygiella x-notata Very similar to next species and needs expert ID to be definitive. This spider . Z. x-notata females are up to 11mm in size, males up to 7mm. This spider builds its web mostly into window frames, but can also be found on walls, fences, or under the bark of old trees. This was found on metal bridge. common.

Zygiella atrica Size female about 6.5 mm, male smaller about 4 mm. It generally has more red-brown in the colouration than Zygiella x-notata and has a leaf like pattern, but the species need to be separated by an expert. It usually found away from human buildings.

Araneidae (Orb Weavers)

Harvestman.

Argyroneta aquatica, Water & Nursery Web Spider - Pisaura mirabilis

Tetragnathidae & Agelenidae

Giant House-spider - Tegenaria duellica. They make large and substantial sheet webs with a funnel to their safety retreat. Similar makings to house spider but bigger and hairy legs. Leg span up to 75mm.

tegenaria domestica house spider It makes a flat sheet-like web, typically with a tubular retreat. They wander widely in search of a mate. After a male has found a female's web he will stay with her for a number of weeks, mating with her repeatedly during this time. He then dies and the female eats him.

Xysticus cristatus Spends much time sitting still, with its fore-legs spread wide, waiting for insects to blunder into them. Predatory. called 'crab spiders' because, as they move in a crab-like way.

Philodromus cespitum A common spider of low vegetation. Markings are variable on this species, so tetative.

Philodromus aureolus The spiders of this genus can be recognized by the fact that the second leg pair is longer that the other legs. Their size varies between 3 and 7 mm. Philodromids are 'quiet' spiders that are well camouflaged but can run very fast to escape or pursuit their prey. When they flee, they run sideways.